On Your Marks: '˜It's mostly a case of mind over matter'

At my first visit to the Tilgate parkrun (see last week's column), I bumped into Debby Scott, who I knew through her husband James.
Debby ScottDebby Scott
Debby Scott

Debby mentioned she was also taking on a challenge and in just over five months time will be taking on her first marathon. So this week I have handed my column over to her to talk about what she is doing to achieve this incredible feat:

Fourteen months ago, I hadn’t run for over 30 years (mob run at school) and in just over five months’ time I’m taking part in my first marathon!

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Following the loss of a close colleague myself and some other ladies from work took part in June 2016’s Race for Life. When I crossed the finish line I felt invigorated and had I still been able to breathe I wanted to do it again.

A friend had been doing Tilgate Park Run for a few years so I asked if I could tag along one week, the route was slightly different from the Race for Life but still had hills. I’ve now done nearly 40 Park Runs and volunteered several times at the main Park Run on a Saturday and Junior Park Run on a Sunday morning. I recently tried Reigate Park Run and was filmed for the Vitality video promoting women in sports.

I love the community of Park Run, everyone is so supportive, you are only racing against yourself and the encouragement you get from the marshals is fantastic.

I decided earlier this year that I would join Crawley’s Saints & Sinners running club, A) to help me with my fitness for Park Run and B) I’d shaken hands with a friend that we would complete a marathon before we were 50 so needed all the help I could get.

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Since then I have well and truly caught the running bug. I try to train with the club at least once a week. These sessions include everything from social 5 to 7km runs to interval training and hill sessions.

I have also taken part in a number of races, including some in the West Sussex Fun Run League representing my running club.

The sense of satisfaction and high you get when you finish a race is brilliant – and it’s always nice to get some more bling for my growing medal collection

I’m certainly not the fastest runner and sometimes can get down when I’m plodding along near the back but I’m starting to realise it’s mostly a case of mind over matter!

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I love the support and encouragement I get from fellow runners and am fitter than I have been in years.

Taking up running is one of the hardest but most rewarding things I have done – and I’m so glad I started!

Debby Scott

- An update on me, I have lost seven pounds since I started this column, which I am pretty proud of.

Next I am starting an eight-week course with Horsham Fitness - a terrifying prospect. See how I get on in next week’s column.